Against the Current - Chapter 108

Chapter 108 - Caught in the Act (Part 1)

Xianglan hurriedly turned around and stood with her back facing them, pulling her hood down even lower to conceal half her face. Catching a glimpse out of the corner of her eye that people were walking past, she quietly inched toward the outside, thinking to herself, There's no need to watch a husband catching his wife in an adulterous affair. The most sensible course of action right now is to get far away from this god of plague as early as possible. Who would have thought that several soldiers and officers were already standing at the entrance of the outer courtyard, blocking Xianglan's path and saying, "Young lady, please head back. The lords are currently capturing rebels, and everyone is only allowed in, not out!"

Xianglan was dumbfounded. Though anxious inside, she was completely helpless, and she muttered to herself, Lin Jinlou is here for Zhao Yuechan. I'll just find a spot to hunker down; once he catches the adulterers, he'll naturally leave, and then I can slip away quietly. With that, she hid behind the residential quarters and cautiously poked her head out to watch.

The ones who had come alongside Lin Jinlou were none the other than the father-and-son duo Zhao Xuede and Zhao Gang. Zhao Gang had disliked studying since childhood and remained a commoner until Zhao Xuede bribed the examiners of the provincial examination to secure him the status of a scholar, later spending silver to purchase a minor official rank equivalent to the lower eighth grade. It was merely an empty title meant for prestige and a good appearance. This Zhao Gang spent his entire days cockfighting and dog-racing, indulging in dissolute, aristocratic mischief, yet his mind was exceptionally quick and full of crafty schemes—he was essentially his father's strategist. Now, seeing Lin Jinlou surround the living quarters, he hurriedly stepped forward and lowered his voice to ask, "Who knows how many rebels are hiding in here? What high counsel does my brother-in-law have?"

Zhao Xuede was a man of the writing brush and had never experienced such a situation before, so he too gazed eagerly at Lin Jinlou.

Watching the father and son rubbing their hands together with eager anticipation, Lin Jinlou gave an inner, cold chuckle. A corner of his mouth hooked upward, and he replied with a faint, indifferent smile, "What high counsel? Start from this room and go down the line searching every single inch of them." Before his voice had even faded, he had already surged forward by two steps, raised his foot, and kicked the door wide open. A sharp shriek immediately pierced the air from within. Xianglan instantly covered her eyes with her hands, thinking, Oh dear, Master Third Lou is about to witness firsthand the crown of green growing on his own head. How pitiful, how very pitiful.

The Zhao father and son had never expected Lin Jinlou to launch such a sudden assault. Seeing that he had already charged inside, they were momentarily stunned. Hearing a woman shriek from within, they instinctively exchanged glances and stretched their necks to peer into the room.

Zhao Yuechan and Hao Qing had just reached the most critical juncture. Both of them were lost in frenzied intoxication, twisted together as one; how could they possibly have heard the commotion outside? Who would have expected a deafening crash at the doorway as the door was violently kicked open? Hao Qing was so frightened that he instantly climaxed and went limp, while Zhao Yuechan could not suppress a piercing shriek and scrambled backward in a frantic panic.

Lin Jinlou strode straight into the interior wrapped in a dark cyan cloak edged with fur and enveloped in a chilling winter draft, his face radiating an aura of slaughter and destruction. A cold shriek gripped Zhao Yuechan's heart, scaring her out of her wits as she shrank desperately toward the corner of the wall. Taking everything in with absolute clarity, Lin Jinlou felt as though his eyes were about to split open and bleed. Bellowing a curse, "Low, worthless bitch!" he struck her across the face with a hard slap and violently grabbed a handful of her hair. By now, following the trail of those account books, he had already discovered that Zhao Yuechan was carrying on with another man outside and stirring up trouble. Today's scenario was simply him going with the flow to set a trap, seizing the opportunity to cut ties with the Zhao family. Yet, having now witnessed with his own eyes a lush, verdant green hat clapped firmly onto his head, Lin Jinlou felt an overwhelming wave of humiliation and suffocation. His anger threatened to spiral completely out of his control, and he felt as though he wanted to slaughter them both with a single blade just to make a clean sweep of it.

The Zhao father and son had already caught sight of a man and woman locked in a tangled embrace, though they had not yet seen their faces clearly. Zhao Gang caught a glimpse of the woman's powdery white arms and jade-smooth legs, with her twin mounds bouncing wildly, and instantly grew dry-mouthed with stirred lust. A wave of depravity surged within him, and he thought to herself, To think this temple isn't a pure sanctuary after all—a monk actually brought a woman here to fornicate... Tsk tsk, this chick has such smooth, tender skin and flesh, she's quite the stunner. Later on, I'll find some excuse to taste her flavor no matter what...

Zhao Xuede similarly had not anticipated that they would blunder into such an illicit tryst. Under normal circumstances, he would have folded his hands to watch the excitement and bantered about it as a juicy anecdote over wine to amuse everyone. But today was a life-and-death moment dedicated to hunting down rebels, intimately tied to his entire family's glorious future prospects. Consequently, he felt deeply annoyed and blurted out, "Good brother-in-law, this monk violates monastic rules and commandments; you can just hand him over to someone else to supervise. Today we have matters of grave importance—"

At that moment, Lin Jinlou had already grabbed the woman's hair and spun her around, thrusting her face squarely into everyone's view. When Zhao Xuede beheld that flower-like, jade-smooth face brimming with terror, the second half of his sentence choked instantly in his throat. His face flushed to a bruised purplish-blue, his jaw dropping so low it nearly hit the floor, and in the next instant, the blood in his entire body ran cold.

Zhao Gang also took in the full view and thought, We're finished!

By this time, Hao Qing had snapped back to his senses. Seeing people charge in to catch them in the act, he knew things were headed south. Glancing toward the doorway, he saw two guardians blocking the exit, neither of whom looked as heavily built or robust as he was. Taking advantage of the moment everyone was distracted, he scooped up a bundle of clothes and charged stark naked toward the entrance. The Zhao father and son were already dumbstruck and subconsciously stepped aside, allowing Hao Qing to actually break through and charge right out.

The guards surrounding the living quarters were all elite soldiers from the Lin family army. Seeing a naked man suddenly bolt out from the room, they drew their single-edged Yanling sabers with a chorus of crisp "shing" sounds, aiming their gleaming, bright blade tips squarely at Hao Qing. Hao Qing was instantly reduced to a state of absolute idiocy, never imagining that a large troop of armed and imposing imperial guards would be stationed outside the door. He cursed his rotten luck internally—even for catching adultery, there shouldn't be such a massive battle array! What kind of colossal mess had he stumbled into?!

The outdoor air was piercingly cold. Whether from the freezing temperature or sheer terror, Hao Qing shook and trembled uncontrollably. His legs buckled, causing him to crash straight to the ground on his knees as he wailed tearfully, "Have mercy, Your Honors! Spare my life, Your Honors!"

The men outside were also somewhat bewildered. Today, the general had mustered his troops and ordered them to come to Ganlu Temple to capture fugitives, stating it was a top-secret mission that must not be leaked. Yet upon kicking the door open, they had first heard a woman's shrieking, only for a naked man to come hurtling out. Could it be that the general had brought them here today just to catch an adulterous pair? Still, not a single trace of emotion showed on their faces as they continued pointing their chilling sabers directly at the man.

Hiding behind the building, Xianglan watched Hao Qing leap out and instantly blushed, covering her face in embarrassment. Hearing the wailing a moment later, she cautiously loosened her fingers. From inside the room came Lin Jinlou's thunderous roar: "Are you all standing around like a bunch of dead stiffs?! Why haven't you taken him down yet!"

Immediately, several men stepped forward, grabbing Hao Qing by the shoulders and twisting his arms behind his back to bind him tightly with five-flower cordage. Shivering like a sifter, Hao Qing wept tears and snot as he whimpered, "Spare me, My Lord! This humble wretch deserves death a thousand times over, this humble wretch deserves death a thousand times over!"

Another thunderous roar rang from within the room: "Someone stuff that stinking mouth of his! Drag him in here to me!" With his mouth gagged, Hao Qing was hauled inside and tossed onto the floor. Clever as Zhao Gang was, he finally understood the situation by now. He grabbed Zhao Xuede, dragged him into the room, and slammed the heavy door shut with a loud bang.

Zhao Yuechan was curled up on the bed, trembling violently. She knew all too well how tyrannical Lin Jinlou could be, and now that she had been caught in adultery, her life would likely end right here. Paralyzed with terror, she wept bitterly. Suddenly hearing the door slam, she looked up to see Zhao Xuede and Zhao Gang walking in. She was instantly startled, but then filled with ecstatic hope as she wailed, "Father, Brother, come save me!" Only after crying out did she remember she was stark naked; she hurriedly pulled the quilt up around herself, lowered her head, and was consumed by a turbulent mix of fear, shame, shock, and fury.

At that moment, Zhao Xuede felt an intense urge to throttle Zhao Yuechan to vent his hatred. He had come here intending to capture rebels, yet ended up catching his own daughter in adultery right before his son-in-law. Even if he was no upright gentleman, this particular circumstance was far too humiliating, stripping away generations of family face in one fell swoop. Choked with a dizzying rage that nearly made him faint, and not daring to meet Lin Jinlou's gaze, he stepped forward and struck Zhao Yuechan hard across the face with a slap, cursing through clenched teeth, "Vicious creature! Why didn't you just die and make a clean job of it?!"

Zhao Yuechan buried her face deep into the quilt and sobbed hysterically.

Zhao Gang pulled Zhao Xuede away and cast a glance at Lin Jinlou, thinking inwardly: Lin Jinlou rose through military merits, and his hands are stained with blood; he is naturally brimming with a murderous aura and is not someone to be trifled with. Seeing his face ashen, dark, and cold, with absolute sternness and killing intent blazing in his eyes, Zhao Gang felt a shiver run down his spine. He murmured in a low voice to Zhao Xuede, "Though younger sister certainly needs disciplining, right now our priority is to appease our brother-in-law..." With that, he exchanged a quiet, pointed look.

Gauging Lin Jinlou's expression, Zhao Xuede realized things looked ominous and hurried forward, bowing deeply with his hands folded in front until he was nearly doubled over. "Old夫 is thoroughly ashamed; I have failed to educate my daughter properly." Seeing that Lin Jinlou remained silent, he continued, "My son-in-law has suffered a grave injustice, and I will certainly give you a proper accounting for this matter. However, for now, we must still prioritize the bigger picture..."

Instead, Lin Jinlou burst out laughing, revealing a flash of white teeth. "Is your bigger picture supposed to mean going after the rebels first?"

Zhao Xuede nodded like a pestle pounding garlic. "Exactly, exactly! This matter concerns the imperial court and the safety of the state, and it is also our duty as ministers to serve the Emperor with utmost loyalty. If we truly manage to apprehend the rebel, my son-in-law's merits will be no less than quelling the rebellion of the Japanese pirates and roving bandits!"

Lin Jinlou gave a faint, cold smile. "Oh, is that so?" His expression suddenly darkened, and he sneered, "Things have reached this pass, and you still call me 'son-in-law'? You may have the gall to say it, but I no longer have the face to answer to it." Pointing a finger at Hao Qing, he barked, "You've got plenty of sons-in-law; isn't there one sprawling right there on the floor?"

Zhao Xuede's old face burned a bright, fiery red, a mix of shame and raging fury twisting his features as he bitterly thought: The brat is utterly ungrateful! If I hadn't leaked the tip, how could you ever have gotten such an opportunity to earn merits? Stuck standing there in limbo, he had no idea how to respond to that remark.

Lin Jinlou said coldly, "No matter how monumental the merit, it's nothing compared to the weight of a green hat pressed onto one's head. Today, this matter will not be settled until we get a clear explanation of every single detail." With those words, he walked over to Hao Qing, who was slumped on the floor, curled into a ball. Lin Jinlou pulled the dirty rag from Hao Qing's mouth, stepped down to press his boot against the man's face, and said indifferently, "Spit it out. How did you get acquainted with this cheap slut, and how long have you two been entangled?"

Before Hao Qing could utter a word, Zhao Gang stepped forward with a flattering smile and said, "Brother-in-law, don't fly into a rage. There is likely more than meets the eye to this matter; my younger sister was most certainly abducted and forced into this violation by coercion. Otherwise, even if she had the courage of a leopard, she would never dare commit such an act." As he spoke, he turned his head to shoot frantic winks and meaningful glances at Zhao Yuechan, prompting her, "Isn't that right?"

Zhao Yuechan caught on instantly, pointing straight at Hao Qing and crying out, "It was him! It was him who forced me!"

Hao Qing immediately wailed to the heavens in grievance: "A monstrous injustice! This humble wretch is wronged! It was the young mistress who took an interest in me, coming to the temple time and time again to rendezvous with me, and she even bestowed wealth and silver upon me..."

Zhao Gang cursed furiously, "Bah! Shameless wretch, biting the hand that feeds you in broad daylight! What crime do you deserve for violating a woman from a respectable family?" Though he was a civil official, he wore a precious sword at his waist purely for decorative ostentation; drawing his ceremonial blade as he spoke, he lunged forward to thrust at him.

With eyes sharp and hands quick, Lin Jinlou caught Zhao Gang by the shoulder in a tight grip and said in an icy, menacing voice, "Before the interrogation has even begun, you're already resorting to corporal punishment? Could it be that you're trying to silence him?"

Zhao Gang indeed harbored the intent to kill Hao Qing right then and there, planning to fabricate whatever story was convenient later and instruct Zhao Yuechan to stick to it. Yet how could he possibly match someone with actual martial arts prowess like Lin Jinlou? He felt as though his wrist was caught in a steel vice and iron claws, on the exact verge of being crushed to powder. Letting out a howl of agony, he pleaded, "How could I dare, how could I dare? I was simply driven by a sense of righteous indignation. I beg my brother-in-law to show mercy."

With a cold snort, Lin Jinlou shoved Zhao Gang aside. Grimacing in searing pain and breaking out in a cold sweat, Zhao Gang thought to himself: The nickname "Lin the King of Hell" wasn't given to him for nothing! If he's the one interrogating that monk and digs up any more unspeakable filth, the Lin family will fly into a rage and take it straight to my grandfather, and our household won't be able to survive the fallout! Not daring to argue any further with Lin Jinlou, he could only shoot repeated frantic glances at Zhao Xuede.

Just then, Zhao Yuechan whimpered through her tears, "Husband, calm your wrath! I really am truly wronged!"